


'cause if we don't leave this town we might never make it out (i was not born to drown baby come on)

by MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Descendants 2 (2017), Chad Charming & Audrey Rose Friendship, Chal? Mad? ChaMal? Is there a ship name for these two?, Cinderella Is The Best Mom Ever, Evie & Audrey Rose Princess Detectives, Let's Run Away From Our Problems But With a Buddy System AU, Mal is a mess, Protective Chad Charming, Slow Burn Chad Charming/Mal, canon is just thrown right out the window and I'm okay with that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28544607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin/pseuds/MarvelousAvengfulSlytherin
Summary: Chad and Mal run away together. Their friends goes into a slight panic because of this, as does all of Auradon.Their consequences of this are unforeseen by everyone, including themselves.
Relationships: Chad Charming & Audrey Rose, Chad Charming & Mal, Chad Charming & Prince Charming & Cinderella, Chad Charming/Mal, Cinderella & Mal (Disney), Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil, Evie/Audrey Rose (Disney)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this story was inspired by the song Sleep on The Floor and rewatching D2 for like millionth time since quarantine. Anyway, enjoy the story! First time writing Chad and Mal in a romantic ship and I like it.

Mal could still her the constant shouting as she walked away. She felt as if she couldn't breath but they kept coming after her yelling and shouting her name. She wanted to poof herself away but the voice, the nagging voice of Ben was drumming in her head that magic wasn't always the answer. In this situation however it was better than trying to run in those stupid heels at night. At least she was smart to wear her old combat boots. How these reporters got in the school undetected Mal would never know but all she knew was that she needed to get away. 

Turning the corner she could still hear the echoes of her name being shout when she crashed into Chad Charming. 

"Oof!"

"Ow!" 

Mal rubbed her forehead and Chad brushed off his injury. "You okay Mal?" He said rather loud enough for someone to hear. Mal panicked and felt frozen like a deer. 

Chad frowned but picked up the situation quickly because before Mal even knew what he was doing, he took her hand. "What-Chad?"

"Shh, c'mon! The faster we hide the better they don't find you. Let's go!" He said tugging her down the hall and into a classroom. He quietly opened and closed the door. Both teens ducked down. Mal and Chad pressed their ears to the door. They heard the hurried footsteps of the reporters telling one another that Mal could have gone this way. She relaxed slightly feeling the way Chad seemed to hover over her made her. Once the sound of the reporters voiced subsided, Mal slid down and sat on the linolium cold floor and Chad sat next to her. 

"Thanks," She muttered feeling grateful for the escape from those vultures. Chad nodded but he looked slightly concerned. 

"You okay?" He asked.

Mal would have rebuffed it with a smirk, would have gotten up and walked away back to her room. Face it all over again in the morning with blonde hair and pretty dresses that screamed future princess and Queen but it did not scream Mal. That life was not for her. It never was at least that's what she thought.

Instead, Mal shook her head and began to silently cry, her shoulders shaking. Her chest felt tight and the tears stung her eyes felt hot. It felt too much because it was too much. Chad's arms hesitantly slid over her shoulder to comfort her and it felt nice. She began to talk quietly.

"I want to disappear. I-I feel lost. Evie has her clothing line, Carlos has his and Jay has his stuff. Ben... Ben doesn't see it, he just thinks everything is fine that I'm fine and I'm not! I'm not me," Mal said wiping tears and snot with her hand. For a moment, Mal thought that she might have just made the biggest mistake with telling this to Chad Charming of all people!

Instead, Chad surprised her. "Then lets get out of here," He said quietly. 

His eyes bore into her and she could see he wasn't joking. He was being serious with his offer. 

"If disappearing is what you want, then let's do it. Get some of your stuff, meet me in the front. If your serious that is. If not, then we never saw each other and we go off pretending that we never had this talk. But you look like you need a break from," He gestured with his hand to her. "This stuff. I get it."

Mal snorted. "Do you?"

"I'll be King of Charmington, I'm the only living kid that my parents had," Chad told her. Mal could sense that 'living kid' meant more but she did not ask, not because she did not care but because she felt that it would be stepping out of line in their non-existant relationship or friendship. 

"Okay," Mal said not thinking clearly. No, she was thinking clearly. She wanted to run, breath freely without cameras being shoved in her face or to feel the way Ben would always take her to state dinners that she never felt ready or never liked. 

They quietly walked out of the classroom and went their separate ways. Mal made her ay back to her room and had her mind set in stone. Entering her room sneekily, she saw Evie still asleep. Guilt ate at her but Mal knew that if this continued, putting on a false bravado she would break in the worst way possible. 

"I'm sorry E," She whispered and quietly packed some clothes into her backpack. She got her sketchbook and stuffed it into her bag. No way she would leave without it. Zipping her backpack closed, she quickly wrote a note to both Evie and Ben. She left the ring on her bed with the note. 

She apologized to them and reassured them that she was not going to the Isle. She was just going around Auradon with a friend. Mal knew that once Ben didn't find her for their date the next day the alarm would be sounded, possibly before when Evie woke up. Yet Mal was going out the door and to the front of the school. She had taken Evie's blue sweater as it was cold when she walked out. She was glad she was wearing leggings or she would be freezing. 

Chad was waiting in his car, just as he promised. The car was a light blue car that looked rather old but stylish old. She got in and threw her bag in the back. Chad still had his blue ROAR Hoodie on and sweats. He looked at her with concern but did not say anything. Mal felt strangely grateful to the prince. 

"You ready?" He asked her.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand," Mal said nodding her head. Chad hit the gas and drove them out of Auradon Prep. She felt sure about this as they drove away from school. Both did not think of the consequences that would follow them. Maybe it was for the best.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Mal said to her companion. It was now morning, the sun slowly pulling up to the sky greeting Auradon. So far no one had reported them missing yet but they did not want to risk being brought back. Chad could see Mal growing relaxed as they drove farther away from the capital and it made him happy to see her like this. Which was strange because since when has he cared about Mal till last night? Never and even if it did sound harsh it was the truth but he could see that Mal looked like a caged bird, miserable with the reporters mercilessly hunting her down. It was the same way as what they did to him mom from time to time. Chad's grip tightened on the steering wheel. 

"I don't know," Chad told her. They really did not have a plan besides getting the hell out of school. "We need to hide ourselves first. Incognito."

Mal agreed. She touched her hair, blonde with faint light purple tips. He has wondered why she changed her purple hair for blonde. The purple, dark purple if he remembered correctly looked better on her than blonde. 

"Well where do you want to go?" Chad asked her. 

Mal thought for awhile as Chad drove. He could see the way she was trying to find a place and where the best one would be to lay low. They also needed to find some place to eat but first they had to hide themselves. 

"What about Arendelle?" Mal said to him.

He was surprised because he thought she would have picked DunBroch not Arendelle. Chad must have showed his expression of confusion very clearly because Mal huffed in response. She told him, "DunBroch will be far in the sea-"

"As is Arendelle-" Chad piped up. 

"Yeah but DunBroch is to the East near the Ancient Lands, too far and of they get to us its over. Arendelle is quicker and I know there's a ferrie that should take us with the car so we won't abandon it. We get there and get some shelter or something."

"You thought of this before, haven't you?" Chad said rather quietly eyeing her. Mal looked at him with a blank expression as if a wall had come over her. 

She shrugged not answering his question. 

"There's a baseball cap in the back of your seat, hide your hair and we'll stop at this gas station," He said jerking his chin to the store that was coming closer and closer. Mal looked at the clock in the car it read 8:15 am. She should be in her first morning class, they both should have been in class. Instead they were driving away from her own problems. Mal unbuckled her seatbelt and twisted around digging in the pocket of the backseat of her seat. Like he said, there was a baseball cap, two of them. One of them royal blue and another yellow. The colors of Auradon Prep. Ben's colors. She wore the golden yellow cap, twisting her hair in a sloppy bun and making sure no strand of her hair fell out of the cap. Chad put on the blue cap once he parked. 

Getting out, they walked into the store and went their way. Chad got waters and a couple of sodas while Mal perused the asiles up and down. She got some sour gummies, chocolate bars and some granola bars. She was unsure of what kind of candy Chad would want. Does he like sour gummy worms? Why did she care about what kind of candy Chad Charming liked anyway? Shaking her head she went to find Chad who was getting two huge water bottles. 

"Hey," She said and held up her arms full of the stuff. Chad grinned slightly. 

"Gummy works. Nice!" He said. "Four water bottle and two jugs of it should holds until we get to Arendelle. Sodas we'll get like six in case wee need a sugar boost and we, I mean the one driving."

Mal snorted at that. 

"I'll get some chips just in case we need some more food and then we'll pay."

"Wait," Mal said now realizing something. "How are we going to pay?"

"Don't worry. I have some cash and I'll pull some out of the ATM before we leave."

"Doesn't an ATM have a camera?"

"Yeah but they don't know where we're headed."

 _True,_ Mal thought. _Very sneaky Charming._

After grabbing the bag of spicy chips the teens went up to the register. The young woman behind the counter didn't say anything just rang it up and told them the price. Chad pulled the right amount, handed it over and took the recite as Mal got the bags full of their food. Chad took the waters and soda. As he told her, Chad did use the ATM outside the store as Mal put the stuff in the backseat and watched in the passenger seat when she was done. She got the bag of gummie worms for Chad and she got a granola par, munching on it. 

Chad came back, and got inside his car, started the engine and pulled out. 

"Got enough to pay for gas and for our tickets to the ferrie to cross Arendelle." He said as he drove them out of the gas station and onto the road. "Thankfully we won't need and identification considering we are crossing in the ferrie not in an airplane. Still just in case, I'll make sure to pull something."

"Like what?" Mal asked as she bit into the granola bar. It had strawberries and chocolate which to her was a comfort. It was also delicious. 

"Talking to Queen Elsa into hiding us?" Chad said and Mal wasn't sure if he was joking or being serious. That would be something a prince could do, talk to another royal or head of a kingdom like it was nothing. "But we'll worry about that once we get closer to Arendelle's borders. For now, we got to just get there first."

* * *

That same morning Evie was worried. Mal hadn't shown up at all for breakfast. At first she had thought Mal had gotten there early or gone to see Ben but when he came up to them and asked where his girlfriend was, Evie began to grow worried. Halfway through first period, Jane had texted her asking if Chad was in Chemistry class. Evie now realized that Chad was missing too! She texted back her response and patiently waited until class ended and ran to her room hoping that Mal might have just turned up there before going to Fairy Godmother's office. When she got to her room she hoped and hoped and hoped-

Nothing. No sign of Mal. What she did find, however, that she did not spot before when she left this morning was the note on the bed. Opening it, Evie had to read it twice as she began to cry silently. With the note in hand, Evie ran out of her room to Fairy Godmother.

"Fairy Godmother?" Evie said aloud as she knocked on her door. She entered without prompt and saw that Jane and Audrey had already beat her to it. 

"Evie," Fairy Godmother said. She looked worried and Evie knew why. If Chad was missing, the child of her Godchild then it would make Evie panic too. Her news was not one that would help the headmistress. "What can I do for you?"

"It's about Mal. I can't find her anywhere, she didn't show up for class and she never does that. I went back to my dorm room to check and I saw this." She handed a it to the headmistress who after taking it read the note. 

"Oh dear," Fairy Godmother murmured shaking her head. She looked at Evie and reassured her, "Mal will be found and so will Chad. I'll have to contact Belle and Cinderella about this. Both of them gone missing... it could be a coincidence-"

"And if it isn't?" Evie said to her. Audrey agreed with the blue haired girl. 

"Then we have to wonder why, my dears."

Fairy Godmother told them to come back when Cinderella and Belle arrived. Evie left with Audrey and Jane. 

Mal ran away because she wasn't feeling like herself, she had written out that she couldn't do it anymore. She broke up with Ben via a note. Why would she break up with Ben? Why would she run away? Waiting just wouldn't do for Evie. She needed answers and she needed them now!

So off she went going back to her room to find any hint as to why Mal would just take off. She was worried for Mal.

What made her do this?

Why?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chad and Mal finally arrive at their destination. Audrey asks questions to Evie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dedicated to my younger brother who experienced his first heartbreak

The drive to Arendelle's ferry was three hours but since they left halfway they were now an hour away. The teens ate gummy worms, granola bars and tried to find out if news of their runaway already was over Auradon. 

Surprisingly not in the slightest. 

"But once word gets to my mom and dad," Chad said with a grimace. "Then it's going to get crazy. The faster we get to Arendelle before anyone spots us the better."

Mal agreed. Evie was going to kill her, she was sure of it. 

They drove in silence and sometimes with music. Other times Mal would try to talk about something which was hard considering both Chad and Mal never talked to each other. 

“How much till we get to Arendelle?” Mal asked as she stretched her arms up. She scratched her scalp, trying to figure out if she should do something about her hair. Maybe it was time to go back to the original color? Maybe.

Chad glanced at the GPS and then back to the road. “About a few minutes. It’s already 11, we should get there in just a bit then to Arendelle.”

”Or we get caught,” Mal joked.

”Ah don’t jinx us!” Chad teased back. Mal couldn’t help but smile and shake her head. 

Just like he said a few minutes they were pulling up to the docks. Chad rolled down his window, talked to the ticket taker asking her about the time, and then paid for their ticket. Just like he had told her, the worker did not ask for any sort of identification. Chad was signaled to drive ahead, he did and Mal’s stomach swooped. They were almost in the clear! Almost to Arendelle! 

The woods cleared awhile ago and now Mal could smell the salty sea when she lowered the window. The sea was open and it was amazing. She never saw the sea minus the time she and Ben had gone to visit Andersen, King Eric's kingdom. The car drove to a spot and parked. After a while, some cars came inside and the horn honked signaling the ferry was leaving. Mal looked at Chad with wide eyes. Chad couldn't help it, he laughed at her expression. She looked like a doe with wide green eyes. Mal took a deep breath relishing the scent of the air while the boat continued on its journey. 

"How long is the ferry ride from Auradon to Arendelle?" Mal asked.

"20 to 45 minutes," Chad said. "By the looks of it, we should get there in 25 minutes since the captain is pushing good time."

Mal nodded but looked wistfully as she took a strand of her blonde hair. Chad wondered if she missed her purple hair. 

The ferry docked and let the cars out, Chad drove out of the ferry and into Arendelle. Mal grinned, to Chad she looked even more relaxed. Chad felt a pang of sadness about Mal's situation. She felt free when she ran, she felt trapped by the constant media who harassed her and it sent a spike of anger at the thought of those adults who trespassed Auradon Prep to hunt down Mal. When they got back, he was going to Fairy Godmother to make sure Mal got some protection or security to keep the paparazzi away. 

Chad drove through Arendelle and straight to the castle. Both teens stayed silent as he drove them up to the opened gates. The guard stopped them before they could enter and asked them their business but once Chad explained who he was, the guard quickly let them in. When they had gotten out of the car, taking their bags and to go to the throne room where the page had announced them to the Queen of Arendelle and her husband.

Prince Hans as well as Elsa looked surprised to see the two teens here far away from Auradon Prep. Mal shifted her weight feelings of panic resurfacing quietly, Chad reached and hooked his pinky to her own. It startled her but made no attempt to reject him. 

"What brings you children all the way from school?" Hans spoke breaking the silence in the room. Prince Hans had been the only villain to live in Auradon having married Queen Elsa in secret thus saving him from being sent to the Isle. Many rumors floated about the marriage but Chad, having met the Queen and Prince Consort, both seemed utterly in love just like his parents. "Lat time I checked there were not any field trips scheduled."

"We apologize for coming in to Arendelle unannounced," Elsa looked at him, her blue eyes seemed to find something but did not say anything. "I-"

"It's my doing," Mal interrupted and Chad jerked his head to look at her with wide eyes. 

"No, Mal. It was my idea-"

"But it was my situation-"

"Enough!" Elsa finally spoke quieting the two teens. "You ran away, I presume?" 

The monarch's tone was not one of admonishing but of sympathy. Mal and Chad nodded.

"Why?"

"I felt like I was drowning," Mal confessed not meeting the Ice Queen's eyes. She still held onto Chad's pinky with her own pinky as it secured her. "I just-I felt alone, I felt tightened by the media. It was too much. I didn't see me."

Elsa nodded, her eyes with so much sympathy. Chad on the other hand felt like wanting to hug Mal. This shouldn't have happened to her, she shouldn't have been feeling this way. Why hadn't Ben seen how unhappy or stressed she was? Why hadn't anyone else?

The Queen told them they could stay but that she would contact Cinderella about her son's whereabouts the next day. Chad and Mal agreed but he could see that Ma;s shoulders slumped. She felt defeated and he wished he could take that feeling out of her. He wished he could give her the sense of freedom and ease she had felt when they had been driving to Arendelle. 

* * *

Audrey slipped out of Chad's empty room only to bump into Evie. The other girl looked like she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, her eyes puffy from crying and she was clutching Mal's sleppbook tightly as if it might hold answers to why her best friend had ran away. Audrey felt the same, she was worried for Chad and if Mal was in on this she was going to throtel the girl. If anything happened to her friend... well nothing good will come to Mal that was for sure. 

"Hey," Evie spoke softly almost as if she was trying not to cry. 

"Mal left that here?" Audrey asked pointing to the book. Evie nodded. "Did she leave anything about where she was going? Any clue?"

"Why do you care?" Evie suddenly snapped at her which made Audrey irritated. 

"I care," She snapped right back. "Because I think Chad missing is tied with Mal missing."

Evie scoffed. Audrey glared at her.

"Its too much of a coincidence that both Mal and Chad suddenly disappear without a trace the same night," Audrey told her classmate. Her words seemed to have an affect on Evie, she could see the other girl frown and thinking deeply. 

"If you are right, if," Evie said. "Why would Mal seek Chad's help. They aren't really friends last time I checked." Audrey really did not have an answer only other than a single shrug. She did not know the answer at least the true one. She guessed.

"Chad always helps those in need," Audrey said softly. "His mom taught him to have courage and be kind. With his courage he maybe helped Mal. Who knows? Only they know and left us here with too many damned questions."

Evie chuckled it sounded tired. 

"Why don't we both get some rest? Sleep together," Evie looked startled at the insinuatuion that Audrey was implying but the Princess meant it. If they were the only students investigating this then they had to stick together. " _Come on_ , lets get some sleep. I doubt Mal or Chad are loosing any sleep like us."

"I can agree with you on that," Evie said and followed Audrey to her room.

Sleep did sound good.

When Evie woke up she was confused as to why her room was pink until she realized where she was. She had slept in Audrey's room the whole night. She could feel the other girl's arm around her torso snuggling her. Evie's cheeks warmed. 

It felt nice having not only gotten a full eight hours of sleep but having someone with her. Audrey felt... nice.

When Audrey woke up, Evie had gotten a text from Jane. She had to read it three more times, ignoring Audrey ywaning and greeting her.

"Audrey," Evie said interrupting the other girl. She shoved her phone in her face, Audrey took it and began to read the text message. She looked up at Evie and saw the same facial expression that she must have had-joy and relief. "At least we know that your hunch was right."

Audrey laughed quietly. "Yeah. At least their safe and sound, that they'll be here."

Evie nodded. She was happy about that. Mal was safe. Audrey beamed at her and flung herself, hugging Evie. She giggled and hugged the other girl back tightly. Audrey felt warm and smelled like lavender and roses. It smelled nice to Evie wanting to stay like this forever.

She wondered if she could?

* * *

Mal's first night in Arendelle was peaceful. Yet when morning came, Elsa had told her and Chad that she had made contact with Chad's mother and that both parents of Chad and Ben were coming to Arendelle tomorrow. Mal could feel the walls slowly closing in. She was going back to her plastered smiles and harassment from those stupid paparazzi. 

When she had gone back to her room, she felt like wanting to do something. Touching her hair, she suddenly go the urge to cut it. Yes. With that in mind, Mal found a pair of scissors and too a chunk of hair bringing them closer to the sharp object-

"Mal! What are you doing!?" She froze and looked at Chad who had come in, a panicked look was on his face. If the situation hadn't been so horrible Mal would have laughed at Charming's facial expression right then and there. "Don't do that! Here give me that." Without even waiting for her response he had already taken the scissors away from her. "Giving yourself a makeover?"

"I just want to look like me again," Mal said trying not to cry. She just felt frustrated and wanted to at least look like herself again. Chad nodded. 

"Okay," She blinked at him. "Okay. I know how to cut and we can ask Princess Anna if she knows a place here that sells dye for hair. Let's bring you back." He gave her a smile and Mal felt warm. She felt oddly safe. She trusted Chad so agreed with his plan.

An hour later with purple dye, a towel and scissors Chad and Mal were in her bathroom ready to do a makeover. Her hair was wet with a towel around her shoulders to make sure the dye didn't stain her shirt. Since Mal's hair was already blonde minus the tips he just dyed the tips blonde. A few minutes after that was over he moved on to the main event, the color. Mal, meanwhile seemed utterly relaxed. She felt giddy.

"How do you know how to do this?"

"I used to help Audrey with her hair when there was Crazy Hair Day back when we were kids," He said to her as he began to paint her hair. "Her grandma wasn't pleased by this and shut that down but I continued to do it when we were at school in the bathrooms. Lonnie and Jane would keep look out for us."

"Seriously?" She grinned picturing a younger Chad painting Audrey's hair. "What color was it?

"Pink with blue peek-a-boos. It looked pretty cool if I do say so."

"I'm guessing Evie is your hairstylist?" Chad teased at her.

"Yep and very proud of it," Mal was grateful for Evie. If she didn't have her who knows how she would have looked like. A walking fashion disaster probably. "But I do have style outside of Evie."

"You do," Chad agreed. "It suites you."

"Better than Auradon version of Mal?" She asked trying to joke. It came out flat at the end and Chad knew it as well.

"I like you," He suddenly said and she could feel a sense of warmth, and something fluttering in her heart. She tried to ignore it as Chad hastily said, "Like your style and just how your well you."

Mal hummed in agreement trying to ignore the emotions stirring in her about Chad. Yet with those emotions came the harsh reality-reminding her of the break-up note she had left Ben with. She did not disclose it with Chad. She should since Elsa had already contacted Cinderella, it was probable that they would be picked up from Arendelle soon. She had to warn him on what was ahead.

"I left a note," If they were going back to Auradon Prep she needed to prepare him for what was to come. "I broke up with Ben in the note." She could feel Chad pause his movements. SHe wondered if he was happy about that. Why would he even care? They were allies and maybe sort-of friends now. Nothing more. 

"You broke up with him via a note?" He sounded utterly amused by the whole thing as if it was the funniest break-up he has ever heard. Mal rolled her eyes. "Really?"

"Well what else was I supposed to do? Leave a fruit basket with the note!" She snapped at him even though she could not see him. She could hear Chad sighing but continuing to paint her hair. "I had to do it."

"What if he wants to win you back? What will you do?"

Mal did not have an answer to his question. She wouldn't know what to do if Ben wanted to repair their relationship. 

Chad nor Mal talked as he finished up dying her hair. He placed and sealed the tinfoil on her hair, letting it be there. Now they waited for the dye to do its thing and Mal's hair will be back to its original state. After that, he would cut her hair short into the bob she had when she had arrived in Auradon. Yet as Chad cleaned up she couldn't help but think back to his questions. _What will she do when she saw Ben?_ Did she want to rekindle their romance? She did care about Ben but the romance that she had held for him died out. She loved him as a friend now and not as before. Chad was singing softly, Mal could hear it.

_"But you really don't remember, was it something that they said? All the voices in your head calling Gloriaaaaaa!"_

Mal may be falling for Chad Charming and she had no idea what to do with it. What could she do? Love was a dangerous, mysterious mistress who knew nothing more than to sirr up confusion and chaos into her subjects lives.

Why should it be no different for Mal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that Chad sings is Gloria by Laura Branigan.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter... Mal and Chad bond while Audrey and Evie each play detective. Hope you guys enjoy this, and yes Karma will be updated soon! Promise!!


End file.
